FT DR Chapter 35: Digging Holes

Chapter 35: Digging Holes

Translated by Addis of Exiled Rebels Scanlations

Editor: Karai

Half an hour later, Ivanov and the presidential guards arrived simultaneously, each taking Wu Chenghe and Jin Xuan back to their respective starships.

Sitting in the shuttle, Jin Xuan watched as the shuttle carrying Wu Chenghe streaked across the sky like a shooting star. He sighed with melancholy. Despite the hardships he endured over the past eight days, nearly dying in this remote and desolate place, considering the breakthrough in his relationship with Wu Chenghe, he decided to mark these eight days as one of the “sweetest moments in life”.

He would forever remember the exhilarating feeling of kissing Wu Chenghe, warm, clear, reassuring, passionate… Even though he was in a manic state at the time, his senses unclear, he was certain that everything perfectly matched his ideal of love, indescribable by any number of words!

A slightly foolish smile played on Jin Xuan’s lips as he gently touched his own lips, savoring the sensation of Wu Chenghe’s lips. The two guards sitting beside him exchanged glances, both breaking into a cold sweat: Oh Lord, what mischief is this troublemaker plotting now? Is he planning another round of performance art? The area outside the presidential palace had only just been peaceful for a few days!

Being a presidential guard these days was truly tough!

As the shuttle docked with the presidential starship, Jin Xuan entered the main cabin and saw his brother’s good friend, Secretary of State Hobart.

“Oh, your look this time is quite cool,” Hobart said with a smile. “You could play a vagrant or fugitive without even needing makeup.”

Jin Xuan was thin, with unkempt hair, small scratches on his face, and his clothes, well, they were beyond description, practically ragged. However, he didn’t feel out of place. As a former performance artist, this attire was actually more normal than some of his previous stage costumes. Besides, with his naturally handsome appearance, even wearing a rag could make him look like a celestial being!

“I’ve brought your brother’s personal doctor along. Let him check you first, and then you can take a shower and change clothes,” Hobart suggested. 

Jin Xuan agreed and went to the medical bay for a check-up but didn’t change clothes. He returned in the same ragged outfit—after all, he was wearing this ragged outfit when he hugged his little guide and kissed him. He couldn’t bear to take a shower and change clothes until all of Wu Chenghe’s scent had faded away.

In the world of punk, that’s how cool it was!

“Are you… sure you want to talk to me like this?” Hobart pinched his nose, enduring the smell of sweat emanating from Jin Xuan, and pointed to the farthest chair, “Then please stay away from me.”

Jin Xuan wore an expression of “I can’t be bothered to explain to you mortals” as he sat down. “Is my brother okay? Did he cry when he heard I died?”

“He’s fine. His tear ducts have atrophied long ago. I haven’t seen him cry in fifty years,” Hobart said, opening his personal terminal and projecting an email. “This is a message from Commander Hannibal to His Excellency the President, explaining his perspective on the attack. Take a look and then fill in the details with me.”

Jin Xuan quickly read through it, expressionless. “What does my brother think?”

“No loopholes,” Hobart shrugged, “So, we need your perspective as the involved party.”

“I don’t know,” Jin Xuan said truthfully, “All I know is that we were attacked at the Grasshopper Space Station. Only the three of us survived, but the rescue team only saved two of them, leaving me behind.” He then went on to describe in detail his ordeal on the asteroid. “That’s it. According to Wu Chenghe, Commander Hannibal sent over a thousand people for the search and rescue, but I didn’t see any of them.”

“Hmm, it’s indeed puzzling,” Hobart said, stroking his chin. “But you were originally providing cover on the asteroid, so this situation isn’t entirely implausible.”

Jin Xuan raised an eyebrow but remained silent. After a moment of contemplation, Hobart continued, “The president’s stance is that the Second Army of General Lancer will bear most of the responsibility for this terrorist attack. Commander Hannibal will need to reorganize the defense of the Gabriel Military Harbor, and the federal government will provide generous compensation to the schools and victims. As for the rest, let’s not dwell on it for now.”

Jin Xuan nodded. Politically, Jin Zhe was a thousand times more mature than him, so he needed to listen to the experts on matters like these.

“Alright, let’s talk about your personal matters,” Hobart changed the subject after discussing official business. “I heard you found your true love at the Gabriel Military Harbor and plan to bid farewell to the stage for him. Is that true?”

“Mm-hmm,” Jin Xuan’s lips curved into a smile at the thought of Wu Chenghe. “Does my brother know about it too?”

“Of course, there are no secrets between us regarding your affairs,” Hobart flaunted his “intimacy” with the president, “Jin Zhe knew about your plan to leave the stage and was quite shocked. He called me late at night to confirm whether you were assassinated and if the one alive was your body double, haha.”

Jin Xuan smirked. “His imagination is still as wild as ever.”

“He also said that if the situation is confirmed true, he’ll award your true love with a Silver Star Medal as a token of gratitude for pulling you back from the wrong path. You know, he’s been trying to do that for twenty years but failed,” Hobart elegantly chuckled, “Can you reveal the name of the other party?”

“No comment,” Jin Xuan replied, “That’s my personal privacy, and I don’t feel like sharing it with you at the moment.”

“I represent the president now,” Hobart tapped the table with his knuckles, extremely curious about what kind of person could tame the wild horse that was Jin Xuan.

“Represent all you want,” Jin Xuan remained unmoved, “Even if Jin Zhe asks me directly, I won’t answer.”

“Alright, then I’ll use my wise eyes to observe by myself,” Hobart blinked, “Anyway, this time I’ll be staying with the Voyager Army for a while.”

Jin Xuan was surprised. “For a while? Is there something wrong? Aren’t you afraid Jin Zhe will ditch you for another buddy?”

“Our friendship is as solid as gold, not afraid of any third party,” Hobart said shamelessly, “This time, I’m not just here for you; I also want to discuss the issue of ideological education for the youth with the Voyager Army.”

“Oh?” A glint flickered in Jin Xuan’s eyes. “Is it about the proposal brought up in the parliament last time, requesting that colonels and above in the Voyager Army send one descendant to study in the capital of Dunkirk?”

“That’s right,” Hobart nodded, “The president believes that the descendants of these officers are the bond that holds the entire federation together, and it’s necessary to deepen their sense of belonging to the federation.”

Jin Xuan seemed to realize something, his expression suddenly freezing for a moment. Then, he slapped his thigh and stood up. “Excellent! I fully support this proposal. My brother is truly wise! Long live the president!”

Hobart was taken aback, staring at him wide-eyed. “Are you okay? Oh my, I need to call a doctor for a genetic test. Are you really Jin Xuan, that little troublemaker?”

“I am Jin Xuan, but not just a troublemaker,” Jin Xuan raised an eyebrow with a smile. “I need to rest for a bit. I’m going back to my cabin now. Goodbye.” As he walked away, he contacted his manager, “Hi, it’s me, Jin Xuan… Stay calm, I’m not dead yet. Let’s discuss the details when we meet. There’s something I want to discuss with you. During my disappearance, I heard that my fans held a memorial service for me. I was deeply touched. To thank them for their love, I’ve decided…”

As he watched his ragged figure disappear around the corner of the hallway, Hobert shrugged, “True love is a miracle, and now I believe it.” 

In the special envoy battleship of the Royal Guard, Wu Chenghe, finally returned to his biological father’s side with Ivanov. He thought Hannibal would definitely scold him as soon as they met, like in the holographic communications, but to his surprise, Hannibal didn’t say a word to him. He just instructed the ship’s doctor to examine his body and asked Yuna to take him to shower and change clothes. The black-and-chestnut eagle crouched on its owner’s shoulder, its golden eyes staring menacingly at Wu Chenghe, with a gaze as if it wanted to pounce on him at any moment.

Quantum beasts faithfully reflect the deepest primal emotions of their owners. Although Wu Chenghe pretended not to notice it, he clearly sensed that it was very restless, even a bit frustrated. He didn’t understand why, but he had a gut feeling that Hannibal was in an extremely bad mood, strangely bad.

Flying all the way back to Gabriel Military Harbor, Hannibal asked Yuna and Ivanov to leave, and he personally drove Wu Chenghe back to the apartment. Wu Chenghe felt almost overwhelmed by the hostility emanating from him. After some thought, he decided to admit his mistake and seek leniency. So, as soon as he entered the door, he mustered the courage to say to Hannibal, “Dad, I know you’re angry. If you want to blame me, please do. It’s hard for me to bear it when you keep it all in.”

The black-and-chestnut eagle trembled as if shocked, its neck feathers bristling, and its golden eyes suddenly contracted, emitting a low rumble. Wu Chenghe didn’t understand why it reacted so strongly, so he shut his mouth and looked at Hannibal cautiously.

Hannibal looked down at him, his tall figure exuding a peculiarly conflicted aura. After a long time, just when Wu Chenghe thought he wouldn’t speak, Hannibal spoke in a deep voice, “This time only, no more. If you dare to behave recklessly again, I’ll make sure you cry for mercy!”

His admonition was quite effective. Wu Chenghe was both frightened and relieved. Sweating profusely, he sincerely said, “I understand.”

“Have something to eat, rest early, and tomorrow I’ll take you to the First Hospital for a detailed check-up. If everything’s fine, you can rest for two days before going back to school.” Hannibal’s face still looked bad, but his tone had softened. He took off his uniform and went to the kitchen to prepare dinner. “The joint exams are coming up soon, and your grades aren’t good to begin with. You’ve missed so many classes. I think I might need to hire a tutor for you.”

“No, no need. I can handle it. I’ll study on my own.” Wu Chenghe quickly said. Basic education in this era was actually much simpler than in his previous life because specialized knowledge was only taught in university. High school courses were greatly simplified, focusing mainly on inspiring students and helping them figure out what they wanted to do before adulthood.

“Alright, as you wish.” Hannibal was quite democratic in this regard. He followed the recipe to mix the nutrient supplements, waved his hand, and told Wu Chenghe to rest in the living room.

Wu Chenghe was exhausted. After dinner, he sat on the sofa and fell asleep. Hannibal cleared the table, and as soon as he entered the living room, he saw his son lying on the sofa armrest, snoring softly. He reached out and picked him up, carrying him to the bedroom.

“Charlie? Get up, brush your teeth, then sleep?” Hannibal put his son on the bed, patting his face. 

Wu Chenghe was too tired. He turned over, burying his face in the pillow, emitting a faint snore.

“Forget it, let him sleep like this.” Hannibal dimmed the lights, straightened him out, undressed him, took off his jacket, unbuttoned his shirt one by one, and suddenly stopped his hand. A tiny vermilion spot was imprinted on Wu Chenghe’s snow-white skin, between his two slender collarbones. Because he was too thin, there was a shallow dimple there that was barely visible unless Hannibal was close enough.

“What’s this?” Hannibal lightly touched the tiny protrusion with his fingertips, murmuring to himself, “Did he have this before? Why don’t I remember?”

The black-and-chestnut eagle circled around the large bed and landed on the bedpost, its golden eyes fixed on Wu Chenghe’s open collar, emitting a low rumble.

“No, he didn’t have it before.” Hannibal communicated with it telepathically, murmuring softly, then his eyes narrowed dangerously, “This is a totemic mark. He’s been marked by someone…”

“Snap!” There was a light sound as the small sphere atop the bedpost was crushed by the black-and-chestnut eagle. It emitted an angry shrill, flying frantically around the room, and then flew out through the wall.

Hannibal didn’t restrain it, letting it vent its emotions. Although quantum beasts were deeply connected to their owners, they had their own independent personalities. They maximally displayed a part of their owner’s primal instincts. If excessively suppressed, it could lead to rage, triggering the owner’s mania.

He had no guide. Every additional bout of mania meant one less hope of surviving. In his forties, having been injecting balancers for years, his drug tolerance was dangerously close to the limit. Every extra dose brought him closer to complete loss of control.

He closed his eyes, clenched his fists, suppressing the hatred within him. After a while, the human part of his genetics kicked in. He regained control, took a deep breath, opened his eyes, and continued undressing his son.

The underage guide was delicate and fragile, like porcelain that would shatter with a touch, even for boys. Hannibal’s distinctly jointed hand gently rested on Wu Chenghe’s forehead, sliding slowly over his delicate face, his nose, lips, chin, until it reached his Adam’s apple.

The boy’s Adam’s apple was very small, lifting a tiny curve on his smooth skin. Someone had kissed and licked there, establishing a mark that made him grow a vermilion circle that didn’t originally exist.

“Damn it!” Hannibal’s fingers hovered over his son’s Adam’s apple. Even without contact, he could feel a faint warmth. He took a shallow breath, as if smelling a sweet, fresh scent of pheromones. He knew it was his illusion, but it felt so real, even making him believe it could be true.

He began to regret staying with his wife on that rainy night. If he had been more shameless, more despicable, more ruthless, he could have had a guide that night. Even if it was his own son!¹

Hannibal’s breath became heavier, his fingers trembling slightly. He didn’t regret his decision back then. He married Lilith, giving up the opportunity to have a guide. But now, he was the most powerful and influential man in the world. Even the Secretary of Defense had to bow down to him! And the President, what about the President? Didn’t he have to act according to his wishes? He controlled seventy percent of the federal military power, sixty percent of the national energy extraction. With a flick of his finger, the capitol of Dunkirk wouldn’t be able to turn around!

All of this hadn’t come easy, and Hannibal didn’t want to let go so soon, to hand it over for others to enjoy, even if it was Marlow, even if it was his proudest son! Only a guide could keep him alive.

With his power, he could perhaps secretly raise a guide, but with his status, it was impossible to keep it a secret forever. Lilith, Marlow, the Lancer family, and those shadow-like presidential spies around him would eventually expose this to the public eye. He could defy societal norms, but he couldn’t harm Lilith, couldn’t harm Marlow, and certainly couldn’t lose the support of the Lancer family. Moreover, he wasn’t strong enough yet to break away from the Federation and establish his own empire.

Before he turned a hundred, he couldn’t take risks. So he had to live past a hundred.

Wu Chenghe was the most suitable candidate, a guide, an invisible guide, and moreover, his own son. He could patiently wait for him to grow up, to become an adult. Keeping him by his side for a lifetime would never be questioned— they were family, what could be more normal than a son staying by his father’s side?

Of course, when the son grew up, it was natural for him to find a woman, start a family, and establish a career. But Wu Chenghe was a guide who wanted to hide himself. To protect himself, he would inevitably avoid those who pursued him, let alone actively pursue others. He was alone in this world, with his only reliance being his father.

Even if he forcibly marked him, imprinted him for life, he didn’t dare to speak of it. Father-son ethics, societal perceptions, guide protection laws, the power of the mark… all of these would bind him tightly to his father.²

A gentle smile appeared on Hannibal’s lips as he gently stroked his son’s soft hair. He would cherish him for a lifetime, treat him well, protect him, so that no one could touch him. Decades later, father and son would stand together at the pinnacle of this galaxy, together forever, enduringly. 

Even though there wasn’t a mark yet, Hannibal felt that he had already fallen in love with his son. The sleeping teenager was so obedient and adorable, so sweet and fragrant, like a clean spring, just looking at him made his mouth water, refreshing his soul.³

It was just a temporary mark. As long as time passed, it would disappear on its own. Hannibal lightly touched the vermilion mark at the center of his son’s collarbone, comforting himself.

This guy, Jin Xuan, was as lucky as his brother. He hadn’t died even after all that! This time, he had been too impatient. He shouldn’t have acted so quickly. Next time, he must come up with a foolproof plan… Hannibal tucked his son in, then went upstairs alone, standing on the rooftop terrace, gazing into the distance.

The night was already pitch black, the energy center emitting a dim white light, like a huge dish. Hannibal sipped the hard liquor in his hand, calming his turbulent heart, suppressing his desires, his hatred, withdrawing, and observing the problem from a higher perspective.

After this incident, Jin Zhe probably wouldn’t let Jin Xuan stay in Gabriel Military Harbor any longer. Hobert would definitely take him away. In due time, Wu Chenghe’s temporary mark would be removed. He would be an adult in less than a year. Before that, he had to watch him more carefully. Yuna might not be enough; he needed someone to watch him twenty-four hours a day.

As for Jin Xuan’s life, it could end with Jin Zhe. As long as the time was right, he would let the brothers meet God together.

Hannibal smiled grimly, downing the liquor in his hand. The black-and-chestnut eagle sensed his call, flying over like the wind from a distance, doing a loop in the night sky before landing on his shoulder.

Yes, we should calm down. Hannibal comforted his quantum beast, communicating with it through telepathy, deliberating for the long term, cutting off the roots, was the correct decision. The Commander stood on the rooftop, contemplating the comprehensive plan to eliminate the presidential brothers. 

In the same community, in a courtyard with Chinese-style architecture, the bastard that marked his son, was digging a pit for him.

“That’ll do,” Jin Xuan said coldly as he reviewed the manager’s activity plan, nodding. “The scene shouldn’t be overly grand. After all, I’ve already withdrawn from the art circle. This is just a way to thank the fans and express my gratitude to Commander Hannibal. Overdoing it would make it seem like I’m trying to curry favor and would damage the prestige of the president.”

“Yes, you’re right.” The manager was practically kneeling to him. It was so difficult these days to create an idol as popular as King. As long as he was willing to appear in public, people would throw money at him!

“Don’t delay, strike while the iron is hot.” Jin Xuan served tea and saw the manager off. “I’ll wait for your schedule.”

“Alright.” The manager tactfully got up to leave, glancing at Jin Xuan’s tattered clothes and dry hair. “You’re really not going to shower and change clothes? You’re attending like this?”

“Hmm.” Jin Xuan made a disdainful monosyllabic sound, indicating that he was being too nosy.

“Yes, yes, you’re wise! This is so fitting!” The manager hurriedly flattered him, picked up his bag, and left the door. As soon as he breathed in a few mouthfuls of fresh air, artists were truly disgusting, to stink this bad without even showering. It’s a wonder he had so many brainless fans. It’s completely unreasonable!

 

 

 

 

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